Angsty Zhane
by LeCastor
Summary: COMPLETE CRACK. In which Zhane angsts about some memory loss and an awkward-inducing crush over Claire Bennet from Heroes whom he obviously met previously, and plays cards with Andros. ONE SHOT.


Zhane was bothered, this day. He sat by the pool, thinking, frowning. He was, for once, effectively brooding. Not trying to imitate Warren Peace. Not trying to impress anyone. Just brooding alone, under the tropical starry sky.

He was growingly uncomfortable with the situation he was in. Not with Claire. Not with Andros. Not even with the pretty flushing French girl with the very obvious crush on Warren. No. It was really about the knowledge that nothing was as it should be.

Two years of his life, gone. He knew he couldn't complain. He knew he should be grateful that he was alive at all, and he was. So why couldn't he remember Andros and Ashley finally getting together? Why couldn't he remember Karone at all, if he dated her as Andros said? And why was he so obsessed with Claire, if it was Karone he should love?

He was just looking at the pool, frowning to himself, until he decided to call in his zord. He soared into the sky.

Trying again, and again.

Flying. It was good, and it was entertaining. Again, Zhane tried to go into space. Again, he hit the cap. Maybe it was because he didn't really want to leave. He didn't really know.

He landed on the beach, and the zord returned to his station. He was kicking sand, moodily. He let himself fall on the beach, eyes on the infinity of the night sky.

Home. Such a strange concept, home. Without any family to call his own, home really was where Andros was. Maybe it had to do with why he couldn't leave.

His footsteps took him back to the hotel, slowly. He didn't realize whose door he was knocking on until he was done knocking. He almost considered running away, but the door opened too quickly.

"Hey." She's beautiful, Zhane thinks. Sh was always beautiful.

His lips etched a smile, he couldn't help it. "Hey, Claire." He fidgeted a little.

"What's up?" She was a bit mussed, in her pyjamas. Suddenly he realized how late it was.

"I.... I don't know. I wanted to see you." His smile was charming, even if his heart was beating too hard inside his chest. "I..." he buried his hands in his pockets. "Is it a bad time?"

If she said it was, he would just apologize and go. It was no big deal, right? He couldn't help it, he had really made it there by accident.... and well...

"It's alright, come in." Oh, right. The inner fidgeting stopped, only to be replaced by a bad case of sweaty hands.

He stepped in her room, not quite realizing what this could look like to others.

"Hm, yeah, sorry. I woke you up, right?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck.

"Not really," she replied as she pointed to the television. "Watching ID4."

"ID4?" What kind of a movie name was that?

"Independence day," she replied, as if it was obvious.

"Ah, alright." Hm. He looked around the room. "Should I... come back, or something?"

"No, just sit and watch with me."

He sat, then, and watched with her. Somewhere between the fall of the statue of Liberty and the Will Smith's face off with the alien in the Nevada desert, their hands twined, together. She didn't look at him. He didn't look at her.

Zhane knew that if Claire wanted him, she wouldn't show it. That if she tolerated him around, it was more than enough. He was just glad he had a chance.

The movie flew by, amidst special effects and explosions, and their hands were still twined together like the ivy and the oak. He was smiling, a bit sheepishly, just enjoying this, and her.

"So?" she asked, once the credits were rolling.

"So what?" he asked, again, returning the question.

"Why did you show up?"

"I don't know." He smiled, turned to see her face. "I think I don't really remember."

He was however smiling, wider, glad of this, glad of her. Something that was heavy in him had lifted.

"Alright," she replied, before she let go of his hand, to stand. "It's late."

"Yeah." He allowed himself to frown thoughtfully. "I guess I should..." he trailed off. He didn't quite want to go.

"Yeah..." she replied, trailing off as well.

"Anyway, thanks for the movie. See you later." Zhane made a hasty exit, cursing himself for his cowardice. Cursing himself for not kissing her.

He walked again. This time it made sense. He went to see Andros.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You look terrible, what's up?" asked his war-brother.

"I'm fine." He frowned. "It's Claire."

Bringing up Claire was always of an issue. As was bringing up Karone, or Ashley.

"What about her, is she okay?"

Zhane sighed, he couldn't bring himself to saying it. "Yeah, she's fine. Never mind."

Andros gave Zhane a bit of a teasing smile.

"But you're not."

"I'm fine."

Just as he would have hidden his feelings for Astronema in that parallel universe Andros knew all about, Zhane now covered his feelings for Claire. "I miss home, is all."

Andros smiled wryly, but said nothing about his doubts. "Yeah, I miss home too. Cards?"

"Yeah, cards."


End file.
